Expert in narcology
A narcologist is a doctor who diagnoses, treats and prevents alcohol, tobacco and drug addiction.
Narcology is a branch of medicine that studies the manifestations of drug addiction, substance abuse and alcoholism, searches for and creates methods to combat, prevent and treat these diseases.
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Content:
- Who is a narcologist?
- What does a narcologist do?
- What diseases does a narcologist treat?
- When is it necessary to see a narcologist?
- How is an appointment with a narcologist going?
- What diagnostic methods does the narcologist use?
- Appointment to a narcologist
Who is a narcologist?
To be eligible to work in the specialty of "drug addiction", you must have a diploma of graduation from a higher educational medical institution and additionally receive a specialization in drug addiction. Most often, psychiatrists or resuscitators and anesthesiologists become narcologists, having received additional education.
The narcologist can work at the site in the district clinic. He advises patients, performs treatment in an outpatient clinic, or issues a referral on the need for inpatient treatment. In addition, the local narcologist makes home visits to patients and, if necessary, interacts with the Department of Internal Affairs.
A doctor working in a narcological hospital treats patients with mental disorders (for example, alcoholic delirium), works with drug addicts and alcoholics during the period of abstinence.
A narcologist is also required in the examination departments in order to carry out medical examination procedures.
Narcologists are also involved in professional activities in rehabilitation centers, where people with addictions try to get rid of them after they have overcome the stage of abstinence.
What does a narcologist do?
The narcologist provides professional assistance in the field of narcology. It can be either primary or repeated. It is possible to provide assistance to a person in a clinic, in an office at the place of residence and even at home.
At the first meeting of the patient with the doctor, the person is diagnosed and the amount of necessary therapy is determined, and the patient is sent to pass the necessary tests and to undergo instrumental examinations.
Repeated consultations are aimed at clarifying the diagnosis, studying the information obtained from the examination results and building a treatment regimen. It is possible that the patient may require inpatient therapy.
A narcologist can:
- Get a person out of the binge professionally;
- Help overcome addiction;
- Help to cope with withdrawal symptoms easier;
- Organize drug and non-drug treatment;
- Carry out an examination for a medical examination;
- Put on dispensary registration;
- Remove from dispensary registration;
- Help to challenge the results of an examination already performed.
It is possible to undergo anonymous counseling in the narcologist's office.
What diseases does a narcologist treat?
Diseases that a specialist helps to get rid of:
- Pseudoparalysis of alcoholic genesis, manifested in the defeat of internal organs, in the disorder of speech, movement, vision, etc.
- Alcoholic depression;
- Acute delusional alcoholic paranoid (psychosis), which is characterized by delusions, obsessions, illusions and other mental disorders;
- Alcoholic epilepsy; (read also: What is alcoholic epilepsy?)
- Polyneuritic psychosis, which is a variant of alcoholic encephalopathy;
- Delirium tremens;
- Addiction;
- Alcoholic delusions and hallucinations.
When is it necessary to see a narcologist?
You can come to the doctor for a consultation both independently and after receiving a referral from another specialist. This can be a psychologist, psychiatrist, therapist, etc. Emergency treatment is necessary:
- In case of drug overdose;
- In case of severe alcohol poisoning;
- If you need to get out of the hard drinking;
- If necessary, detoxification with severe and severe withdrawal syndrome.
In addition, the patient may need routine visits to a narcologist when he will already receive treatment for drug addiction, alcohol dependence or other diseases.
A specialist consultation will also be required for certification to determine the state of alcohol or drug intoxication.
Based on the reason for the appeal, it can be both voluntary and compulsory. As for the outpatient appointment, it is always voluntary. If a person does not think that he needs the help of a narcologist, then he can refuse it. However, in this case, all responsibility for his health is removed from the doctors. The same applies to refusal to undergo an examination for the detection of alcohol intoxication. Only in this case, a person takes responsibility for his actions, which are considered by the courts as an indirect confirmation of the presence of such intoxication.
Compulsory treatment in a hospital is possible:
- By a court decision, when a person has committed a crime in a state of altered consciousness;
- When acute psychosis is detected;
- With exacerbation of alcoholic and narcotic psychoses of a chronic course;
- With a threat to life and health, both your own and someone else's as a result of addiction.
A relative who is worried about the health of a loved one, or wants to confirm or deny his doubts about his addiction, may come to an appointment with a narcologist. However, help in this case is of a rather limited amount, since there is no way to diagnose a person in absentia or to prescribe treatment. However, the doctor can advise what tactics should be chosen in order to persuade the patient to come to the appointment.
How is an appointment with a narcologist going?
To begin with, the specialist will interview the patient, find out his character traits, determine the mental and intellectual safety, the adequacy of the psyche, the nature of the perception of his own personality, etc.
The doctor will be interested in the duration of taking drugs and alcoholic drugs and the features characteristic of the dependence of a particular patient. This is due to the duration of the drinking binges, the dosage of psychoactive substances necessary for him for a state of euphoria, the timing of abstinence, etc. In addition, it is necessary to inform the doctor about any attempts at treatment, if any.
The narcologist finds out what kind of health problems the patient has: with internal organs, with the nervous system, psychologically.
When the conversation is over, the doctor examines the patient, for which he assesses:
- Human well-being;
- Physiological parameters (body weight and its ratio with growth);
- The condition of the skin;
- Nervous and muscle tone;
- Pulse;
- Blood pressure;
- Breathing function.
If necessary, the narcologist gives a recommendation to visit another specialist, for example, a neurologist, therapist, psychiatrist, etc. At the end of the appointment, the doctor gives the patient a diagnosis and recommends treatment.
What diagnostic methods does the narcologist use?
- TANK;
- OAM;
- UAC;
- ECG;
- Chest x-ray;
- Tests to determine the content of drugs in biological fluids and tissues;
- Rapid tests for the identification of narcotic substances;
- Hair analysis for drugs;
- Analysis for antibodies to drugs, etc.
The treatment prescribed by the doctor is always versatile. It includes conservative therapy and the provision of psychological assistance to the patient. Depending on the situation, it may be recommended to undergo therapy in a hospital or in a rehabilitation center. The support of loved ones, occupational therapy and social rehabilitation are equally important.
